Education Commissioner names new EEO officer, interim HR director

The Public School System now has a new Equal Employment Opportunity officer and interim human resource director after Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan respectively named Coreen Palacios and Charley Kenty to the posts.

Kenty was appointed PSS’ new EEO officer last Sept. 6. Kenty has been with the PSS since 1989 where he started as assistant to the HR director.

The EEO position, which has been vacant for several years, was filled this year to better assist and provide PSS employees, parents, and education stakeholders tools and knowledge about their employment rights. Sablan said Kenty’s position will directly report to her office.

The commissioner said the new appointment was not only made to specifically address grievances submitted at her office, but provide all personnel knowledge about the equal employment opportunity service offered by PSS.

“In many organizations, you have to have an EEO officer and this position has always been there. So I made it very clear that it needs to be put in place so that everyone would be educated and provided the equal opportunities-not only for teachers, support staff, but to all PSS clientele. This is really for everyone,” she told Saipan Tribune.

Sablan explained that the process of filing grievance or complaint starts at the commissioner’s office where it will delegate to the EEO officer.

Information online stated that an equal employment opportunity officer has an essential function in the job industry: making sure that employees are not discriminated against based on sex, race, gender, origin or anything else that does not necessarily affect their ability to perform assigned tasks. The EEO officer is also responsible for implementing and overseeing affirmative action and EEO programs, which make sure the company is in compliance with federal and state regulations.

Also effective Sept. 6, Sablan appointed Coreen Palacios as PSS’ interim human resource director, replacing Kenty. Palacios served the school system for many years before her appointment to the new position.

Besides the equal employment opportunity officer and human resource director, five new principals were also named by the commissioner before the new school year’s opening. These include Jessica Barcinas-Taylor for Tanapag Elementary School, Yvonne Pangelinan for San Vicente Elementary School, Paulette Sablan for Garapan Elementary School, James Sablan for San Antonio Elementary School, and Cherlyn Cabrera for Marianas High School.